JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
State Council of Higher Education
for Virginia
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Strategic Plan Development Project
October 3, 2014
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Contents
1.
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 3
2.
Survey and analysis of best educational practices................................................................................ 4
3.
Survey and analysis of new modes of delivery and pedagogies ........................................................... 7
4.
Measuring academic efficiency and quality in Virginia....................................................................... 12
5.
Regional supply, demand and gap analysis ........................................................................................ 19
6.
Suggestions for new credential programs to meet workforce needs ................................................ 34
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1. Introduction
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) has embarked on the development of a
statewide strategic plan for higher education in Virginia. SCHEV has contracted with JBL Associates
(JBLA), a research firm, to assist in the process. This document is one of a number of reports prepared
by JBL Associates in fulfillment of its contract to assist SCHEV.
This document is an Addendum to the previously completed Gap Analysis Memo. The purpose of the
Gap Analysis Memo was to summarize the issues of: access, affordability, postsecondary education
enrollments and completions; entrants to the workforce; postsecondary education attainment gaps;
credential (certificate and degree) programs necessary to meet the state’s economic objectives; effects
of improved instructional delivery modes and pedagogies; status of academic research capacity and its
linkage to public and private funding sources; and measures of access, affordability, efficiency and
quality, and to provide six regional analyses and a state summary of these topics. However, due to
scheduling constraints, the Gap Analysis Memo focused on the statewide analysis of the supply and
demand for skilled workers. This Addendum seeks to address a number of the remaining topics.
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2. Survey and analysis of best educational practices
Improving completion rates in higher education has proven difficult, even with the most committed of
efforts. Roughly half the students who start college do not finish a degree, and that rate has not
changed appreciably over time. For the most part, the predictors of dropping out also have not
changed. Being from a low-income family with no college background remains a strong indicator of
leaving college with no degree or certificate. Often, students from these backgrounds do not have the
academic grounding, life management skills or vision of life after college to sustain them in their studies.
In order to move the dial on college success, efforts to improve college completion must have two key
characteristics: they must be inclusive and they must be systematic. Success will only come from a
consistent effort across the entire state and all institutions, not just within specific programs or
initiatives. Efforts will also need to be implemented effectively to affect overall success rates in a
meaningful way. Most colleges already provide the types of services and programs that have been
proven to help students succeed, but too many institutions do not implement them effectively enough
to produce large, persistent gains. Improving implementation means sharing best practices, integrating
efforts between and across campuses and making the effort consistent across time and across
departments. Designing and implementing inclusive, systematic student success strategies requires
visionary leadership at all administrative levels, including at the state coordinating level.
The commitment and backing of the faculty, administration and student-support staff to the efforts is
also critical. Virginia, and the associated colleges and universities, need to be dedicated to a higher
education system that puts student success at the center of their decision-making. Without this
commitment, there will be little to no change.
This effort will be most important for those colleges with open or less selective admissions policies.
Often, these institutions struggle with the most limited resources, so change will need to result from reengineering existing programs rather than creating new ones. These institutions must be willing to
engage in a continual process of institutional adaptation in order to avoid a downward spiral of rising
costs and stagnant, or flagging, enrollment.
All institutional leaders, however, must bear in mind that the process of change is incremental, not
revolutionary. That is why it is important to identify and track the combined effects of many small
improvements over time, both to help determine what is working and to help keep the issue of
improving student success at the center of attention over time. Success will be realized over years, not
months.
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SCHEV can take some first steps, in conjunction with other agencies, to establish student success as a
priority in the Commonwealth and help set the stage for institutional action:
1. Have the governor recognize the completion agenda as a state priority
2. Set clear state targets and goals for completion of target populations
3. Establish an advisory committee or task force on student completion with members from other
perspectives such as K-12, workforce agencies and private colleges and universities (more detail
on this is found below)
4. Establish state performance measures that include intermediate indicators of long-term success
5. Encourage colleges and universities to engage internally on improving student outcomes
6. Provide professional development activitiesi
7. Implement a state grant aid program with incentives for students to enroll full time, which
means 15 units per semester ii
One best practice that SCHEV could implement directly would be to coordinate these efforts through a
statewide Student Success Center. Several states, Arkansas, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas,
have developed Student Success Centers as a way to maximize student success efforts across the state.iii
A Student Success Center could organize Virginia’s colleges around collective action to accelerate efforts
to improve persistence and completion. SCHEV could host a center that would provide long-term vision,
technical assistance and a shared focus on specific goals for Virginia’s colleges as they work in
partnership to develop and implement a collective student success agenda. The Center could take the
lead in communicating the components of the broader completion agenda to college leaders and in
building a cohesive approach to engagement, learning and policy advocacy across the state’s colleges
and universities. Primary functions of the Center would be:


Convening and engagement:
o Bring colleges together around the completion agenda
o Develop faculty leadership
o Create in-state networks and communities of practice
o Advance cross-sector alignment and collaboration among colleges, K-12, employers and
other government agencies
o Attend national meetings of importance to the completion agenda and develop a
support network of affiliated professionals
Student success coordination:
o Map and align student success initiatives
o Create an umbrella framework
o Marshal resources necessary to accelerate the completion agenda
o Facilitate resource sharing to promote system-wide efficiency
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Improve data-based decision making through:
o Development of system-wide and institutional metrics
o Support sharing of non-sensitive data
o Encourage transparency at all phases
o Provide, and support the development of, IR capacity
Research and knowledge management:
o Engage stakeholders through a statewide newsletter
o Inform decision makers with insightful policy briefs
o Promote Virginia’s institutions with summaries and overviews of their progress
o Identify and disseminate information on effective best practices
Policy:
o Set agendas for systemic and legislative change
o Build state capacity for reform
o Assist institutions with local policy audits and action
Each college and university will need to develop its own approach to improving student success, but the
state can play a critical role in bringing attention to the issue and providing a platform where solutions
can be devised and progress made visible. Many national associations and foundations provide
resources and support for efforts to improve student success and close the attainment gaps between
the rich and poor. Virginia should be an active participant in this growing national network.
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3. Survey and analysis of new modes of delivery and pedagogies
Information technology has the potential to enable transformative change that goes beyond improving
institutional and administrative efficiency. IT tools to enhance administrative and managerial efficiency
and effectiveness have already been adopted by colleges and universities, so the opportunity for
additional cost savings in those areas is limited. Technology applications have already replaced legions
of clerks and lower-level administrators. Record keeping, bookkeeping, admissions, financial aid, on-line
advising and institutional research are examples of functions that have been automated. Further
examples include system designers, web managers and tech support personnel who have replaced the
clerks and secretaries who were such a hallmark of higher education institutions prior to the information
technology era.
The academic functions of colleges and universities have also benefited from improvements in
technology. Many libraries provide access to far more virtual and electronic resources than old
fashioned books while students and faculty share calendars, schedules, assignments, email and grades
online through increasingly ubiquitous course management platforms. Content is often provided online
through video clips, simulations, interactive graphics and worksheets that go beyond anything that was
ever possible on paper. Today, whole classes can be delivered online, with full support from a live
faculty member. A specific example of improving learning and reducing costs with technology is
provided in Section 4.
Transformation is about people not technology
All of these technology advances promise greater productivity, more effective learning and lower costs.
None of this will be realized, however, without addressing two topics. First, the technologies must be
used to restructure the student experience, not merely to improve administrative efficiency. Second,
end-users must adopt these tools in their daily practice; merely getting a product or system up and
running will not lead to transformative change.iv
Realizing the full potential of technology to act as an adaptive fulcrum to leverage innovation and
improvement depends on an institution’s preparedness:



The staff must be resourced and trained to deal with new processes on top of the normal load.
The institution must have a solid technology base in place to support the desired changes.
The leadership must have a change management process that draws people in from different
parts of the college and gives them all ownership of the process and outcomes.
An assessment process that can help institutions develop and implement the changes needed to use IT
to transform the education process is available from the Community College Research Center (CCRC):
Evaluating Your College’s Readiness for Technology Adoption
(http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/publications/evaluating-your-colleges-readiness-for-technologyadoption.html).
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Making education available to new populations
Distance learning should be about access, equity and the distribution of quality education to a wider
audience in Virginia than can be reached through classroom-based education; cost savings or revenue
enhancement should not be primary goals.
Colleges should have specific plans and policy statements for distance learning programs that satisfy the
following requirements:




Identify the educational objectives of each degree program and associated courses
Identity distinctive student populations to be served and the local, regional, national or global
needs to be met, in light of the institution’s mission
Explain how distance learning programs contribute to the mission, goals and objectives of the
institution and the education of Virginia’s students
Describe how the proposed distance learning differs from the offerings of other providers
One example of best practices in online education with a proven record of success is the collection of
courses developed through the Open Learning Initiative (OLI) at Carnegie Mellon University. The project
has developed high-quality courses and contributed original research to improve learning and
transforming higher education using technology. These courses go beyond the typical online course by
using the latest research on cognitive tutoring to create online courses that are highly effective with
minimal faculty participation.
The OLI modules guide students through the equivalent of textbook material while quizzing them
frequently along the way. By constantly gauging comprehension, the software maintains a detailed
assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each student and generates new tips and exercises
aimed at closing gaps in their understanding. OLI-Statistics students learned a full semester’s worth of
material in half as much time, and they performed as well or better than did students learning from
traditional instruction over a full semester. In some cases, colleges are using these modules to
supplement a more traditional class.
Another model resource can be found in The National Center for Academic Transformation (NCAT),
which provides leadership in using information technology to redesign learning environments to
improve learning outcomes for students. Course redesign using information technology is critical to
achieving this outcome. NCAT has undertaken redesign projects that demonstrated significant
improvements in student outcomes. Twenty-five of 30 course redesign projects resulted in significant
increases in student learning; the other five had outcomes equivalent to traditional formats.
Furthermore, eighteen of the 24 projects that measured retention reported a 10 to 20 percent decrease
in drop-failure-withdrawal rates.
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Each project is unique, but eight basic principles guide the process:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Redesign the whole course and establish greater course consistency
Require active learning
Increase interaction among students
Build in ongoing assessment and prompt (automated) feedback
Provide students with one-on-one, on-demand assistance from highly trained personnel
Ensure sufficient time on task
Monitor student progress and intervene when necessary
Measure learning, completion and cost
NCAT has undertaken state or system projects in Arizona, Mississippi, New York, Tennessee, Maryland,
Minnesota, Ohio and Hawaii. Generally, the redesign process works best with those large, multi-sector
courses that enroll the most students and where colleges can realize the greatest learning
improvements.v
Online and hybrid education
Virginia public colleges and universities already provide a well-developed portfolio of online offerings,
both at the university level and the community college level. All citizens in Virginia have access to online
degree and certificate programs provided by a public college or university in the state. In addition,
multiple private institutions in the Commonwealth offer online programs.
One of the populations for which distance education could be most helpful is the military, given that
soldiers may be required to move before they can finish a classroom-based degree started in Virginia
and want to continue their studies at the same institution. Virginia is home to several military bases and
the Pentagon, which makes serving this population important to the state.
Online education is not effective with all students. Research has consistently shown that community
college students who enroll in online courses are significantly more likely to fail or withdraw than are
those in traditional classes. Worse still, low-performing students who may be marginal in traditional
classes tend to fall even further behind in online courses.vi
In contrast, students in hybrid classes that blend online instruction with a face-to-face component
perform as well academically as those in traditional classes. Therefore, hybrid education may be an
effective alternative to the standard classroom approach, but it is not an easy transition. Faculty
members who are committed to using these techniques, and who are well trained in blended and hybrid
education and its technologies, are essential to success. Because these approaches change the
traditional classroom model, students, too, must have a clear understanding of what is expected of
them in this new environment.
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has a course for faculty to help them learn how to design
and manage a blended course. The college notes that the process of redesigning a traditional face-toface course into a hybrid course requires rethinking and transforming assignments and assessments, not
just lectures. Effective online communication and discussions are also crucial to the success of any
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hybrid course. The specific approach will change depending on the discipline and content of the course,
so there are no silver bullets. However, SCHEV could play a role as a clearinghouse for best practices
and as a convener of events and sharing opportunities for faculty who are engaged in hybrid learning
delivery throughout the state.
A related trend that institutions of higher education are using to make college accessible to broader
populations involves reducing the cost of textbooks and other course materials by leveraging emerging
forms electronic resource delivery. Textbooks account for a large chunk of students’ college expenses —
an average of $1,168 per student annually at four-year public colleges, according to College Board.
Some U.S. universities are searching for ways to keep more money in students’ wallets by making
affordable digital textbooks readily available, including offering textbook rentals, but many institutions
are seeking even more innovative solutions.
In one approach, called eTexts, institutions partner with commercial service provides to deliver digital
textbooks, multimedia supplements, tutorial websites, e-reader/annotation software, and related
materials on a specially designed interactive software delivery platform. Textbook publishers provide
digital versions of their textbooks, enhanced with the full variety of dynamic, interactive tools that
today’s students have come to expect from their media. The eText fee is 35 percent or less than the
retail price of a physical textbook. One of the leaders of this movement is Indiana University, which for
the past 2 ½ years has piloted e-textbooks and a common software platform to read and annotate the
texts. The University of Virginia already provides a version of eTexts called “jumpbooks” and potentially
could partner with SCHEV develop statewide guidelines and best practices.
Open Educational Resources (OERs) are another approach that aims to reduce, or even eliminate, the
cost of textbooks and other educational materials for students. OERs can be loosely defined as any
educational resources that can be used and altered freely by faculty members and students. Recently,
however, it has been through electronic distribution (facilitated by the innovation of the Creative
Commons licensing structure) that OERs have taken on a transformational role in higher education.
Originally created to allow open sharing of computer programs (with attribution), the Creative
Commons license is now applied to all manner of digital media, including many OERs. Many proponents
of OERs envision a future in which all of the information that students need to complete their programs
is readily available at no additional cost. For example, the Extended Learning Institute (ELI) at NOVA
recently developed an OER General Education Certificate with support from a College Innovation Fund
grant from the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). This certificate represents the first half of an
Associate’s degree and can be completed entirely using OERs. NOVA is continuing to expand its OER
course offerings with the goal of creating an entirely OER-based Associate of Science degree program.
The college also plans to make these resources available to other community colleges throughout
Virginia, while SCHEV could help extend these potential benefits beyond the community college system.
Conclusion
By itself, technology will not reduce costs in Virginia colleges and universities. The greatest
improvements in efficiency and productivity will result from transforming the way institutions utilize
their resources to improve educational outcomes. Technology can also provide educational opportunity
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to more students, improve the educational experience and provide students with greater flexibility. It is
not as simple, though, as budgeting for new computers in the classrooms and new servers on campus. It
requires the full commitment of the administration to support the professional development of the
faculty and staff and to both lead and manage student expectations, all in addition to expanding the
campus information technology infrastructure. While this may be difficult to do, these investments are
increasingly necessary for all colleges and universities to keep up with the evolving nature of higher
education in the 21st Century.
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4. Measuring academic efficiency and quality in Virginia
Efficiency and quality need to be considered together. The examples provided here demonstrate some
approaches that Virginia might consider. Each approach would require state and institutional
participation.
Saving money
Colleges and universities are edging toward an increasingly tight financial situation as state support
declines and tuition starts to reach a level that begins to make attendance impossible for an increasing
number of students. Cannibalizing institutional resources to help more students pay for college or
excluding low-income students who cannot pay are not viable long-term solutions. Colleges and
universities must consider moving away from a one-size-fits-all education model in which students
largely follow the same calendar and curriculum on their way to collecting 120 credits for a bachelor's
degree.
The colleges that succeed will be those that understand the diversity of their students' needs and offer a
variety of paths to a degree. This might include a three-year bachelor degree plan, a low-residency
option1, a combination of hybrid and online courses or more co-operative education programs where
students can incorporate employment with companies in their fields as a learning-while-earning option,
according to Salingo.vii This approach is analogous to the practice of companies that segment their
customer base to improve revenue and service. Technology is part of this transformation, but it will
take a much broader reconsideration of how colleges and universities fulfill their mission to realize these
savings.
Most colleges and universities would benefit from a regularly scheduled audit of their operations in
order to identify redundant functions, inefficiencies and areas for potential savings. As decentralized,
evolving organizations, institutions’ costs can increase without their being aware of the causes. There is
no shortage of ideas for savings in the literature. Consulting companies thrive on helping colleges and
universities identify areas in which the institution can save money. An example of this sort of list is
found in an article in University Business.viii The list includes:








Join a purchasing consortium for IT equipment
Eliminate paper wherever possible
Outfit classrooms so they can serve off-campus students along with in-class students to raise
more revenue
Establish a distance learning division
Automate temperature controls
Share software among departments and schools
Develop online course materials
Use students as tech support
1
A low-residency program (or limited residency program) is a form of education, normally at the university level,
which involves some amount of distance education and brief on-campus or specific-site residencies—residencies
may be one weekend or several weeks. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-residency_program)
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Clearly, the list could be extended, and each college may identify unique solutions that will save money
over the long run. Developing and implementing these types of changes can and should be done at the
institutional level. Top-down mandates will not lead to success.
Smaller colleges in the same region can develop cooperative projects that save money. Haverford and
Bryn Mawr College, small liberal arts colleges situated only a mile apart in Philadelphia, provide an
example. Students at one school can take courses or even majors at the other; one-third of students are
taking courses on the other campus in any given semester. Library systems are integrated between the
colleges and linked to nearby Swarthmore College. IT leaders at both campuses have been working
together on three technology projects in an effort to create a seamless experience for students and save
on costs with joint implementation of standardized commercial software. There was a conscious effort
by the boards and presidents to collaborate across campuses on technology projects with the highest
value to work on first as an important money saving step.ix
Quality
Academic quality assessment is generally the responsibility of accrediting agencies. States, however,
may become interested in the quality of academic programs when employers or constituents complain
about inadequate skills of graduates or in response to demands from the professoriate. The following
topics address a variety of approaches to assuring quality in postsecondary education, with examples of
how they are being applied by other organizations.
Testing and Assessment
Experts generally agree that no single assessment tool or approach can adequately represent collegiate
level student learning. There are an increasing number of validated assessment tools and approaches
available and colleges and universities are using them more frequently, most often to satisfy
accreditation requirements. According to Kuh, et al., classroom-based assessment, national student
surveys and rubrics are the top three most valuable or important approaches for assessing
undergraduate student learning outcomes.x
That classroom-based assessment and rubrics are considered among the most valuable for institution
level assessment suggests the usefulness of measures that capture student performance in the contexts
where teaching and learning occur. Rubrics generally list specific criteria for a project or piece of work.
Each criterion provides a concrete understanding and visualization of the characteristics of successful
learning. Each set of standards or criteria generally includes a graduated scale of quality. Other
measures may include capstone projects, alumni surveys, classroom performance measures, employer
feedback or portfolios. Whatever form they take, these data are then “rolled-up” to the institution level
to represent undergraduate student learning outcomes.
The American Association of Colleges and Universities has developed rubrics for undergraduate
education that can be used to evaluate quality in undergraduate education.
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Intellectual and Practical Skills
 Inquiry and analysis
 Critical thinking
 Creative thinking
 Written communication
 Oral communication
 Reading
 Quantitative literacy
 Information literacy
 Teamwork
 Problem solving
Personal and Social Responsibility
 Civic knowledge and engagement—local and global
 Intercultural knowledge and competence
 Ethical reasoning
 Foundations and skills for lifelong learning
 Global learning
Integrative and Applied Learning
 Integrative and applied learningxi
Commercial tests are also available to help assess student learning. ACT offers the Collegiate
Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP). CAAP is a standardized assessment program from ACT that
enables postsecondary institutions to assess, evaluate and enhance the outcomes of their general
education programs. As a national standardized test, CAAP is nationally normed to allow comparison of
results to appropriate reference groups. CAAP provides information at the cohort and individual
student level that faculty and administrators can use to evaluate their general education programs and
identify opportunities to enhance student learning.
These examples suggest the range of assessment sources that are available to colleges and universities
and how they might be used to improve education and assure quality at the cohort level, the
institutional level and the system level. In order to be effective, they need the support of faculty and
institutional leaders, so it is vital that they be implemented in through a broad-based effort that allows
all the relevant stakeholders to participate. As a state coordinating board, SCHEV has a particular
interest in leading the state’s institutions toward a common understanding of how quality can be
measured and maintained as part of its role in promoting statewide articulation agreements between
colleges and universities. While many of these quality-focused initiatives must take place at the
institutional level, SCHEV can help ensure that the dialogue around quality takes place across
institutional boundaries by acting as a clearinghouse for information about institutional efforts and
brining institutional leaders together to develop a shared vision of academic quality throughout the
Commonwealth.
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Program review and quality audits
Insuring system-wide academic quality requires a process by which the state can be assured that there is
common agreement about what should be and is included in the courses of study taken by students. By
requiring program reviews and quality audits, Virginia could ensure that programs meet quality
standards and have a process of continuous improvement. An academic audit works like traditional
accreditation with one big difference, which is that the process reviews the specific actions institutions
have taken, or plan to take, to assure and improve educational quality, especially for undergraduates.
Accreditation is less specific in that it defines minimum standards for approved operation and
determines if the institution has the requisite resources to meet its goals.
The academic quality audit stresses specificity: e.g., the identification of examples of what institutions
have done, how they have done it, what the results have been and how results have been used (or not
used) to generate improvement. Other audit activities explore the process for assessing student
learning, the institution’s outcomes measures and data systems and how the chief academic officer
holds the deans accountable for making sure that departments are paying attention to quality,
according to Massey.xii
The Tennessee Board of Regents, the governing board of the state university and community college
system in Tennessee, has been using an academic audit process since 2004 and uses the results as part
of the incentive funding formula for colleges and universities in the state. The first step in their process
is to have the institution undertake a self-study during which the faculty reviews the key activities in
place that regularly improve the quality of teaching and learning. Faculty members reflect on how they
organize their work and how they use data to make decisions. The self-study should note opportunities
for improvement and identify initiatives for improvement. The academic audit includes a review by
peers called the Academic Auditor Team. This team reviews a program’s self-study report, conducts a
site visit and writes its own report that includes commendations, affirmations and recommendations for
continued improvement.xiii
Tennessee Quality Audit Principles Focal Areas
 Define quality in terms of outcomes
 Focus on process (how things get done)
 Work collaboratively with ALL stakeholders
 Base decisions on evidence
 Strive for coherence
 Learn from best practice
 Make continuous improvement a top priority
The measurement of quality is central to the state’s incentive funding program.xiv All public universities
and community colleges have been able to earn additional funds (up to 5.45 percent of the institution’s
state funding) based on quality improvement as measured by a common set of indicators. These
measures include program review and accreditation results, student scores on tests of general
education and major field tests, licensure rates and more. The measures are weighted differently for
community colleges and universities.
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Tennessee believes that the incentives have encouraged institutions to build comprehensive evaluation
systems whereby they can reliably measure student learning. The Performance Funding Program serves
as an accountability instrument for each five-year Master Plan. Between 2010 and 2015, institutions will
focus on two quality standards: Quality of Student Learning and Quality of Student Support and Success.
Implementing an academic audit process similar to the one used by the Tennessee Board of Regents in
Virginia will require a major, statewide effort. In Tennessee, the program is linked directly to the states
performance funding model. Virginia already has such a funding model in place that includes
performance-based funding for new programs or initiatives, including those that target quality
improvements, innovation and continuous improvement. SCHEV could, potentially, craft an opt-in
academic quality audit process, administered by SCHEV, that would provide participating institutions
with a clearly defined pathway to meeting the existing requirements for a portion of their performance
based funding under TJ21 or establish participation in the audits as a “pre-approved” initiative for
inclusion in the institutional six-year plans that would help simplify and streamline their compliance with
existing mandates.
Degree Qualifications Profile
The Lumina foundation has been developing a Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP) that borrows from
efforts in Europe to develop a systematic process to determine what holders of different levels of
degrees should master. Lumina provides a guide to developing profiles.xv In the case of the U.S., the
levels would be associates, bachelors and masters. The DQP provides a guide for faculty and college
leaders to use as they grapple with operationalizing the expectations they have for student
competencies at each degree level. The process is designed for academic degrees, but it could be used
in more applied programs as well.
According to Lumina, several colleges and universities in Virginia have been working with this concept
(Blue Ridge Community College, Christopher Newport University, College of William and Mary, Hampton
University, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, James Madison University, Norfolk State University,
Radford University, Randolph-Macon College and Virginia Commonwealth University).
The DQP organizes proficiencies according to five broad categories:
1. Specialized Knowledge. Beyond the vocabularies, theories and skills of fields of study, this
category addresses the knowledge that students in any specialization should demonstrate
with respect to the domain.
2. Broad and Integrative Knowledge. This category asks students at all degree levels to
consolidate learning from different broad fields of study — the humanities, arts, sciences
and social sciences — and to discover and explore concepts and questions that bridge these
essential areas of learning.
3. Intellectual Skills. Both traditional and non-traditional cognitive operations are included in
these skills: analytic inquiry, use of information resources, engaging diverse perspectives,
ethical reasoning, quantitative fluency and communicative fluency. There appears
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throughout an emphasis on the capacity to make, engage and interpret ideas and
arguments from different points of reference (cultural, technological, political, etc.).
4. Applied and Collaborative Learning. This element emphasizes what students can do with
what they know, demonstrated by innovation and fluency in addressing unscripted
problems in scholarly inquiry, at work and in other settings outside the classroom. This
category includes research and creative activities involving both individual and group effort.
5. Civic and Global Learning. This fifth area of learning addresses the integration of knowledge
and skills in applications that facilitate student engagement with and response to civic,
social, environmental and economic challenges at local, national and global levels.
At the curriculum and classroom level, instructors and students can refer to the Degree Profile as a
common source of understanding and as a point of departure for agreement on more detailed and
specific expectations regarding the development of programs, courses, assignments and assessments.
At the college and university level, the Degree Profile provides reference points that allow faculty
members to articulate and better align institutional student learning outcomes with departmental
objectives.
In addition, the focus on student learning in the Degree Profile and its definition of increasing levels of
mastery expected as a student progresses through degree levels should:





Provide a continuing and sustainable emphasis on learning as the proper determinant for the
quality and value of degrees to help correct the tendency to view the credential as an end in
itself instead of the learning it should represent
Help align achievement levels defined in terms of specific knowledge, skill and application areas
between and among secondary schools and postsecondary institutions
Help guide students:
o On what to expect at the next degree level
o Who intend to transfer from one institution to another
o Returning to higher education after an absence
Recognize and give credit for out-of-school learning from employment or unaccredited training
programs by adult students
Develop reference points to assess students’ progress and levels of achievement in relation to
specific learning outcomes
As with the academic quality audits described above, one potential pathway to implement a DQP in
Virginia would be for SCHEV to work directly with the Lumina Foundation, and with the Virginia
institutions that are already working in this direction, to establish a statewide DQP or a statewide
framework for the development of institutional DQPs. Then, the process of implementing the DQPs at
the institutional level could be established as an opt-in program that institutions could use to meet the
state goals established under TJ21, with SCHEV providing technical assistance and a repository of best
practices, in addition to monitoring participating institutions’ progress and publicizing their success.
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JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Summary
These approaches are complementary and address many of the same issues at different operational
levels. Quality is an issue at the course level, the program level, the college level and at the state level.
Developing a systematic approach to improving quality will take the cooperation of leaders from all
these points of view.
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JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
5. Regional supply, demand and gap analysis
Virginia’s institutions of higher education play a critical role in meeting the state’s needs for a skilled
workforce. They support the economic wellbeing of their students by providing them with the
opportunity to acquire the skills and credentials most sought after by employers. Virginia’s institutions
also help to ensure that business can find workers with the skills that businesses need to grow in the 21st
Century economy. The Gap Analysis Memo evaluated the ability of Virginia’s institution to meet this
demand at the statewide level. Recognizing, however, that Virginia’s regions each have unique labor
market conditions, the following regional analyses provide insight into the regional demand for skilled
workers and the availability of postsecondary programs to meet that demand on a regional basis.
Table 1 presents the top occupations that typically require some college by region. Where the projected
openings for an occupation are not included, the occupation was not in the top occupations for that
region, but it does not necessarily indicate a lack of demand in that region. There are only nineteen jobs
on the list, which is an indication of the commonality between the regions. Seven of the occupations on
the list were among the top jobs in at least five of the six regions. These included teachers (at various
levels), nurses (including CNAs, LPNs, RNs, and NPs), and truck drivers. Northern Virginia, with its focus
on IT jobs, had the largest number of top jobs that did not make the list in any other region.
Table 1. Jobs with the highest number of estimated annual openings from 2012 to 2022 that typically
require at least some college education, by region
Title
Registered Nurses
Management Analysts
Northern
Virginia
603
Hampton
Roads/
Eastern
619
Central
Virginia
686
1685
346
204
623
482
280
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special
Education
Software Developers, Systems Software
1593
Software Developers, Applications
1293
Nursing Assistants
Teachers and Instructors, All Other
Computer Systems Analysts
767
Valley
404
Southside
163
Southwestern
Virginia
133
198
89
75
2235
General and Operations Managers
731
Accountants and Auditors
839
Network and Computer Systems
Administrators
Computer Support Specialists
738
1293
419
339
260
145
103
1266
118
90
117
51
95
1238
293
254
332
153
133
159
186
47
1183
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational
Nurses
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special
and Career/Technical Education
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and
Career/Technical Education
Physicians and Surgeons, All Other
1100
738
732
377
68
110
51
44
650
81
265
32
91
95
564
178
66
74
42
360
22
108
86
64
64
Mental Health Counselors
29
10787
1165
1123
261
732
Teacher Assistants
1747
1593
1183
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Grand Total
Total
2608
3158
2762
1574
836
29
678
Source: JBLA analysis of employment data from the Virginia Employment Commission (www.virginialmi.com) and degree
inventory data from SCHEV Research (www.research.schev.edu).
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19795
JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Tables 2 through 7 list the jobs with the greatest number of projected annual openings for the next ten
year in each region. The occupations that typically require some college are followed by a list of the
programs leading to employment in that occupation available from institutions in the region. The survey
of programs included 2-year public institution and 4-year public and private, non-profit institutions.
Data on the estimated number of annual openings were obtained from the Virginia Employment
Commission (VEC) through its labor market information portal, VirginiaLMI.com. These data included
estimates of the number of annual openings (due to growth and replacement) between 2012 and 2022
within each Workforce Investment Board (WIB) region in the state. The 25 jobs or occupations with
highest number of estimated annual openings in each WIB region were included in the analysis.
The WIB regions reflected in the VEC data are smaller than the regions used for analysis throughout the
strategic planning process, so the estimated openings for the WIBs in each strategic planning region
were aggregated to the strategic planning region level. As a result, some of the strategic planning
regions included more than 25 jobs or occupations and the total number of openings in each region
reflects the total of the openings in the WIBs within each region.
The tables also include the typical level of educational attainment for entry in each job or occupation.
These levels are based on assessments performed and reported by the U.S. Bureaus of Labor Statistics.
While there are know methodological issues with these assessments from the BLS, the other publicly
available assessments also have known issues, so the comprehensiveness and consistency of the BLS
assessments make them a reasonable choice for this analysis.
In order to assess whether institutions of higher education in the state are able to meet the demand for
jobs and occupations on a regional basis, the degree inventories for the public two and four year and
private, non-profit institutions located in each region were scanned for programs related to those jobs
and occupations identified by the BLS assessments as typically requiring a postsecondary credential or
degree. The degree inventories were obtained from the SCHEV Research website. For the Nurse
Assistant occupation, the degree inventories were supplemented with program availability information
obtained directly from the institutions’ websites and course catalogs. The institutions and programs
providing related credentials or degrees are reported immediately beneath the job or occupations to
which they relate.
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JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Central Virginia Region
Table 2. Jobs with the highest number of estimated annual openings from 2012 to 2022 and degree
programs related to jobs that typically require postsecondary education in the Central Virginia Region
Job Title
Program Title
Retail Salespersons
Cashiers
Office Clerks, General
Waiters and Waitresses
Registered Nurses
Germanna Community College, Nursing, AAS
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Nursing, AAS
John Tyler Community College, Nursing, AAS
Piedmont Virginia Community College, Nursing, AAS
University of Mary Washington, Nursing, BSN
University of Virginia, Nursing, BSN
Virginia Commonwealth University, Nursing, BS
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food
Customer Service Representatives
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Nursing Assistants
Germanna Community College, Nurse Aide, CSC
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Health Care Technician, CSC
Piedmont Virginia Community College, Nursing Assistant, CSC
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Childcare Workers
Personal Care Aides
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education*
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except
Technical and Scientific Products
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Central Virginia Community College, Nursing, CSC
Germanna Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
Germanna Community College, Nursing, CSC
Germanna Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing,
CERT
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Nursing, CSC
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
John Tyler Community College, Nursing, CSC
Piedmont Virginia Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
Virginia Commonwealth University, Nursing, CERT
Accountants and Auditors
University of Richmond, Accounting, BSBA
Virginia Commonwealth University, Accounting, BS
Virginia Union University, Accounting, BS
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
NA
21 of 35
Typical Degree for Entry
Less than high school
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
Associate's degree
Estimated
Annual
Openings
1070
816
733
718
686
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
Postsecondary non-degree award
671
425
400
394
339
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
335
286
285
283
280
279
265
Postsecondary non-degree award
265
Bachelor's degree
261
Postsecondary non-degree award
254
JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Estimated
Job Title
Annual
Program Title
Typical Degree for Entry
Openings
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
Less than high school
244
Management Analysts
Bachelor's degree
204
Randolph College, Business, BA
University of Mary Washington, Business Administration, BS
University of Richmond, Accounting, BSBA
University of Richmond, Business Administration, BSBA
University of Richmond, Leadership Studies, BA
University of Virginia, Commerce, BSC
Virginia Commonwealth University, Accounting, BS
Virginia Commonwealth University, Business , BS
Virginia Commonwealth University, Financial Technology, BS
Virginia Commonwealth University, Marketing, BS
Virginia Union University, Accounting, BS
Virginia Union University, Finance, BS
Virginia Union University, Management Information Systems, BA
Virginia Union University, Management, BS
Virginia Union University, Marketing, BS
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
High school diploma or equivalent
196
Security Guards
High school diploma or equivalent
190
General and Operations Managers
Bachelor's degree
186
Randolph College, Business, BA
University of Mary Washington, Business Administration, BS
University of Richmond, Business Administration, BSBA
University of Richmond, Human Resources Management, BAS
Virginia Commonwealth University, Business , BS
Virginia Union University, Human Resource Management, BS
Virginia Union University, Management, BS
Carpenters
High school diploma or equivalent
93
Teachers and Instructors, All Other*
Bachelor's degree
90
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Less than high school
75
Electricians
High school diploma or equivalent
73
Teacher Assistants
Some college, no degree
68
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
High school diploma or equivalent
67
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical
Bachelor's degree
66
Education*
Physicians and Surgeons, All Other
Doctoral or professional degree
64
University of Virginia, Medicine, MD
Virginia Commonwealth University, Medicine, MD
NA No related degree or credential programs were found.
* K-12 teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree in an approved program, but not in a specific major.
Source: JBLA analysis of employment data from the Virginia Employment Commission (www.virginialmi.com) and degree
inventory data from SCHEV Research (www.research.schev.edu).
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JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Hampton Roads/Eastern
Table 3. Jobs with the highest number of estimated annual openings from 2012 to 2022 and degree
programs related to jobs that typically require postsecondary education in the Hampton
Roads/Eastern Virginia Region
Job Title
Program Title
Retail Salespersons
Cashiers
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food
Waiters and Waitresses
Office Clerks, General
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Registered Nurses
Hampton University, Nursing, BS
Hampton University, Pre Professional Nursing, BS
Norfolk State University, Nursing, BS
Old Dominion University, Nursing, BSN
Paul D Camp Community College, Nursing, AAS
Rappahannock Community College, Nursing, AAS
Thomas Nelson Community College, Nursing, AAS
Tidewater Community College, Nursing, AAS
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education*
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Customer Service Representatives
Nursing Assistants
Paul D. Camp Community College, Nurse Aide, CSC
Rappahannock Community College, Nurse Aide, CSC
Thomas nelson Community College, Nurse Aide Education Program
Tidewater Community College, Nurse Aide, CSC
Personal Care Aides
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Teacher Assistants
Management Analysts
Christopher Newport University, General Business, BSBA
College of William and Mary, Business Administration, BBA
Hampden-Sydney College, Economics (Business), BA
Hampton University, Accounting, BS
Hampton University, Business Administration, BS
Hampton University, Business Economics, BS
Hampton University, Business Management, BS
Hampton University, Finance, BS
Hampton University, Marketing, BS
Hampton University, Systems Organization and Management, BS
Norfolk State University, Accountancy, BS
Norfolk State University, Business, BS
Old Dominion University, Accounting, BSBA
Old Dominion University, E-Commerce Systems, BS
Old Dominion University, Financial Management, BSBA
Old Dominion University, Information Systems and Technology, BSBA
23 of 35
Typical Degree for Entry
Less than high school
Less than high school
Less than high school
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
Associate's degree
Estimated
Annual
Openings
1579
1316
1279
1078
931
718
619
Less than high school
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
Postsecondary non-degree award
501
482
451
421
419
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college, no degree
Bachelor's degree
416
412
393
377
346
JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Estimated
Job Title
Annual
Program Title
Typical Degree for Entry
Openings
Old Dominion University, Management, BSBA
Old Dominion University, Marketing Management, BSBA
Regent University, Business Admin & Mgmt, General, MA/MBA
Regent University, Business, BS
Regent University, Global Business, BS
Regent University, Organizational Behavior Studies/Org. Leadership, BS
Virginia Wesleyan College, Liberal Arts Management Program, BA
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
Less than high school
336
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Postsecondary non-degree award
293
Tidewater Community College, Ground Transportation Operation, CERT
Tidewater Community College, Truck Driving, CSC
Childcare Workers
High school diploma or equivalent
291
Stock Clerks and Order Fillers
Less than high school
277
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
High school diploma or equivalent
265
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
High school diploma or equivalent
183
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical
Education*
Bachelor's degree
178
General and Operations Managers
Bachelor's degree
159
Christopher Newport University, General Business, BSBA
College of William and Mary, Business Administration, BBA
Hampton University, Business Administration, BS
Hampton University, Business Management, BS
Hampton University, Hotel and Restaurant Management, BS
Hampton University, Hotel/Resort Management, BS
Hampton University, Human Resources Management, BS
Hampton University, Systems Organization and Management, BS
Norfolk State University, Business, BS
Old Dominion University, Financial Management, BSBA
Old Dominion University, Management, BSBA
Old Dominion University, Marketing Management, BSBA
Regent University, Business Admin & Mgmt, General, MA/MBA
Regent University, Business, BS
Teachers and Instructors, All Other*
Bachelor's degree
118
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
High school diploma or equivalent
106
Cooks, Restaurant
Less than high school
92
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical
Education*
Bachelor's degree
86
Security Guards
High school diploma or equivalent
82
Real Estate Sales Agents
High school diploma or equivalent
81
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Postsecondary non-degree award
81
Eastern Shore Community College, Practical Nursing, CERT
Eastern Shore Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
Hampton University, Nurse Practitioner, CERT
Paul D Camp Community College, Nursing, CSC
Paul D Camp Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
Rappahannock Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
Rappahannock Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
Thomas Nelson Community College, Nursing, CSC
* K-12 teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree in an approved program, but not in a specific major.
Source: JBLA analysis of employment data from the Virginia Employment Commission (www.virginialmi.com) and degree
inventory data from SCHEV Research (www.research.schev.edu).
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JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Northern Virginia
Table 4. Jobs with the highest number of estimated annual openings from 2012 to 2022 and degree
programs related to jobs that typically require postsecondary education in the Northern Virginia
Region
Job Title
Program Title
Retail Salespersons
Management Analysts
George Mason University, Accounting, BS
George Mason University, Business Administration, BS
George Mason University, Finance, BS
George Mason University, Information Systems & Operations Mgmt, BS
George Mason University, Management, BS
George Mason University, Marketing, BS
George Washington University, Integrated Info, Science & Tech, BPS
Marymount University, Business Administration, BBA
Software Developers, Systems Software
George Mason University, Applied Computer Science, BS
George Mason University, Applied Information Technology, BS
George Mason University, Computer Science, BS
Software Developers, Applications
George Mason University, Applied Computer Science, BS
George Mason University, Applied Information Technology, BS
George Mason University, Computer Science, BS
Waiters and Waitresses
Cashiers
Computer Systems Analysts
George Mason University, Applied Computer Science, BS
George Mason University, Applied Information Technology, BS
George Mason University, Computer Science, BS
Marymount University, Information Technology, BS
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food
Office Clerks, General
Accountants and Auditors
George Mason University, Accounting, BS
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Teachers and Instructors, All Other*
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Network and Computer Systems Administrators
George Mason University, Applied Computer Science, BS
George Mason University, Applied Information Technology, BS
George Mason University, Computer Science, BS
Marymount University, Information Technology, BS
Computer Support Specialists
George Mason University, Command Control Comm & Intell Systems,
CERT
George Mason University, Computer Science, Cert
George Mason University, Information Sciences, CERT
George Mason University, Information Technology, CERT
George Washington University, Computer Security and Info Assurance,
CERT
25 of 35
Typical Degree for Entry
Less than high school
Bachelor's degree
Estimated
Annual
Openings
1887
1685
Bachelor's degree
1593
Bachelor's degree
1293
Less than high school
Less than high school
Bachelor's degree
1209
1187
1183
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
Bachelor's degree
1113
1027
839
Less than high school
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
Bachelor's degree
836
767
746
738
Some college, no degree
732
JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Estimated
Job Title
Annual
Program Title
Typical Degree for Entry
Openings
Marymount University, Computer Science, UGC
Marymount University, Information Technology, UGC
Northern Virginia Community College, Computer and Information
Science, AAS
Northern Virginia Community College, Computer Science, AS
Northern Virginia Community College, Information Systems Techno, CSC
Northern Virginia Community College, Information Technology, AS
General and Operations Managers
Bachelor's degree
731
George Mason University, Business Administration, BS
George Mason University, Information Systems & Operations Mgmt, BS
George Mason University, Management, BS
George Mason University, Tourism and Events Management, BS
Marymount University, Business Administration, BBA
Customer Service Representatives
High school diploma or equivalent
717
Managers, All Other
High school diploma or equivalent
684
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education*
Bachelor's degree
623
Registered Nurses
Associate's degree
603
George Mason University, Nursing, BSN
George Washington University, Nursing, BSN
Marymount University, Nursing, BSN
Northern Virginia Community College, Nursing, AAS
Childcare Workers
High school diploma or equivalent
576
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
High school diploma or equivalent
557
Security Guards
High school diploma or equivalent
553
Sales Representatives, Services, All Other
High school diploma or equivalent
550
Receptionists and Information Clerks
High school diploma or equivalent
544
* K-12 teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree in an approved program, but not in a specific major.
Source: JBLA analysis of employment data from the Virginia Employment Commission (www.virginialmi.com) and degree
inventory data from SCHEV Research (www.research.schev.edu).
26 of 35
JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Southside
Table 5. Jobs with the highest number of estimated annual openings from 2012 to 2022 and degree
programs related to jobs that typically require postsecondary education in the Southside Region
Job Title
Program Title
Cashiers
Retail Salespersons
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food
Personal Care Aides
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Office Clerks, General
Waiters and Waitresses
Registered Nurses
Averett University, Nursing, BS
Averett University, Nursing: Entry into Practice, BSN
Averett University, RN to BSN, BSN
Danville Community College, Nursing, AAS
Liberty University, Nursing, BSN
Longwood University, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, BSN
Lynchburg College, Nursing, BS
Patrick Henry Community College, Nursing, AAS
Virginia State University, Nursing, AS
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Southside Virginia Community College, Ground Transportation
Operation, CERT
Southside Virginia Community College, Truck Driving, CSC
Nursing Assistants
Danville Community College, Nurse Aide, CSC
Patrick Henry Community College, Nurse Aide, CSC
Southside Virginia Community College, Nurse Aide, CSC
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Danville Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
Danville Community College, Nursing, CSC
Danville Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
Patrick Henry Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
Patrick Henry Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
Southside Virginia Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
Southside Virginia Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education*
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Customer Service Representatives
Teacher Assistants
Teachers and Instructors, All Other*
Home Health Aides
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Childcare Workers
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical
27 of 35
Typical Degree for Entry
Less than high school
Less than high school
Less than high school
Less than high school
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
Associate's degree
Estimated
Annual
Openings
344
294
275
223
216
177
171
163
Postsecondary non-degree award
153
Postsecondary non-degree award
145
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
Postsecondary non-degree award
98
98
91
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college, no degree
Bachelor's degree
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
Bachelor's degree
89
77
73
69
51
51
49
44
42
42
JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Estimated
Annual
Openings
Job Title
Program Title
Typical Degree for Entry
Education*
Correctional Officers and Jailers
High school diploma or equivalent
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
High school diploma or equivalent
Stock Clerks and Order Fillers
Less than high school
Mental Health Counselors
Master's degree
Liberty University, Counseling, MA
Lynchburg College, Community Counseling, MED
Virginia State University, Psychology, MS
Packers and Packagers, Hand
Less than high school
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
High school diploma or equivalent
Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers
High school diploma or equivalent
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except
Technical and Scientific Products
High school diploma or equivalent
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical
Education*
Bachelor's degree
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
High school diploma or equivalent
* K-12 teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree in an approved program, but not in a specific major.
Source: JBLA analysis of employment data from the Virginia Employment Commission (www.virginialmi.com) and degree
inventory data from SCHEV Research (www.research.schev.edu).
28 of 35
42
42
36
29
27
24
24
23
22
21
JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Southwestern Virginia
Table 6. Jobs with the highest number of estimated annual openings from 2012 to 2022 and degree
programs related to jobs that typically require postsecondary education in the Southwestern Virginia
Region
Job Title
Program Title
Cashiers
Retail Salespersons
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast
Food
Customer Service Representatives
Waiters and Waitresses
Office Clerks, General
Personal Care Aides
Registered Nurses
Bluefield College, Nursing, BS
Jefferson College of Health Sciences, Nursing (RN-BSN Completion
track), BS
Jefferson College of Health Sciences, Nursing, RN, BS
New River Community College, Nursing, AAS
Radford University, Nursing, BSN
University of Virginia's College at Wise, Nursing, BSN
Virginia Highlands Community College, Nursing, AAS
Virginia Western Community College, Nursing, AAS
Wytheville Community College, Nursing, AAS
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Mountain Empire Community College, Truck Driving, CSC
Southwest Virginia Community College, Truck Driving, CSC
Virginia Western Community College, Truck Driving, CSC
Wytheville Community College, Truck Driving, CSC
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Nursing Assistants
Mountain Empire Community College, Nursing Assistant, CSC
New River Community College, Nurse Aide, CSC
Southwest Virginia Community College, Health Care Technician, CSC
Virginia Highlands Community College, Nurse Aide, CEU
Virginia Western Community College, Nurse Aide, CSC
Wytheville Community College, Nurse Aide Program, Workforce
training
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Mountain Empire Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
New River Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
New River Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
Southwest Virginia Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing,
CERT
Southwest Virginia Community College, Nursing, CERT
Virginia Western Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
Virginia Western Community College, Nursing, CSC
Virginia Western Community College, Practical Nursing, CSC
Wytheville Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
29 of 35
Typical Degree for Entry
Less than high school
Less than high school
Estimated
Annual
Openings
433
295
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
Associate's degree
292
220
202
195
157
133
Postsecondary non-degree award
133
High school diploma or equivalent
Postsecondary non-degree award
109
103
Less than high school
Postsecondary non-degree award
99
95
JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Estimated
Job Title
Annual
Program Title
Typical Degree for Entry
Openings
Teachers and Instructors, All Other*
Bachelor's degree
95
Stock Clerks and Order Fillers
Less than high school
90
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Less than high school
88
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
High school diploma or equivalent
82
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
High school diploma or equivalent
77
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education*
Bachelor's degree
75
Home Health Aides
Less than high school
51
Cooks, Restaurant
Less than high school
51
Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop
Less than high school
50
Receptionists and Information Clerks
High school diploma or equivalent
49
Teacher Assistants
Some college, no degree
44
Carpenters
High school diploma or equivalent
43
Construction Laborers
Less than high school
42
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
High school diploma or equivalent
35
Industrial Machinery Mechanics
High school diploma or equivalent
30
Supervisors of Construction and Extraction Workers
High school diploma or equivalent
28
Virginia Western Community College, Construction Trades, AAS
Wytheville Community College, Construction Technology, CERT
* K-12 teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree in an approved program, but not in a specific major.
Source: JBLA analysis of employment data from the Virginia Employment Commission (www.virginialmi.com) and degree
inventory data from SCHEV Research (www.research.schev.edu).
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JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Valley
Table 7. Jobs with the highest number of estimated annual openings from 2012 to 2022 and degree
programs related to jobs that typically require postsecondary education in the Valley Region
Job Title
Program Title
Retail Salespersons
Cashiers
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food
Waiters and Waitresses
Office Clerks, General
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Registered Nurses
Blue Ridge Community College, Nursing, AAS
Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Nursing, AAS
Eastern Mennonite University, Nursing, BA/BS
James Madison University, Nursing, BSN
Lord Fairfax Community College, Nursing, AAS
Shenandoah University, Nursing, BS
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Blue Ridge Community College, Truck Driving, CSC
Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Truck Driving, CSC
Customer Service Representatives
Personal Care Aides
Nursing Assistants
Blue Ridge Community College, Allied Health, Workforce training
Lord Fairfax Community College, Nurse Assistant, Workforce training
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education*
Receptionists and Information Clerks
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
Teachers and Instructors, All Other*
Teacher Assistants
Food Preparation Workers
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Childcare Workers
Carpenters
Stock Clerks and Order Fillers
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical
Education*
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical
and Scientific Products
Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop
Security Guards
Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers
General and Operations Managers
Bridgewater College, Business Administration, BA/BS
Bridgewater College, Information Systems Management, BA/BS
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Typical Degree for Entry
Less than high school
Less than high school
Less than high school
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
Associate's degree
Estimated
Annual
Openings
761
732
599
511
437
434
404
Postsecondary non-degree award
332
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
Postsecondary non-degree award
289
271
260
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
Bachelor's degree
Some college, no degree
Less than high school
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
258
213
198
198
195
178
117
110
86
85
85
84
82
82
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
74
72
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
Bachelor's degree
70
69
54
52
47
JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Estimated
Job Title
Annual
Program Title
Typical Degree for Entry
Openings
Eastern Mennonite University, Business Administration, BA/BS
Eastern Mennonite University, International Business, BA/BS
James Madison University, Business Management, BBA
James Madison University, Hospitality Management, BS
James Madison University, International Business, BBA
Mary Baldwin College, Business Administration, BA
Mary Baldwin College, Business Administration/Economics, BA
Shenandoah University, Business Administration, BBA
Shenandoah University, Healthcare Management, BBA
Southern Virginia University, Business Management & Leadership, BA
Washington and Lee University, Business Admin, BSC
Construction Laborers
Less than high school
38
Supervisors of Construction and Extraction Workers
High school diploma or equivalent
32
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Postsecondary non-degree award
32
Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
Lord Fairfax Community College, Licensed Practical Nursing, CERT
Shenandoah University, Family Nurse Practitioner, CRT
Shenandoah University, Nurse Midwifery Endorsement, CRTG
Shenandoah University, Nurse-Midwifery, CERT
* K-12 teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree in an approved program, but not in a specific major.
Source: JBLA analysis of employment data from the Virginia Employment Commission (www.virginialmi.com) and degree
inventory data from SCHEV Research (www.research.schev.edu).
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JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
Table 8. List of institutions by region used for regional analyses
Central Virginia
Northern Virginia
New River Community College
Central Virginia Community College
George Mason University
Radford University
Germanna Community College
George Washington University
Roanoke College
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Marymount University
Southwest Virginia Community College
John Tyler Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
University of Virginia's College at Wise
Piedmont Virginia Community College
Southside
Virginia Highlands Community College
Randolph College
Averett University
Virginia Intermont College
University of Mary Washington
Danville Community College
Virginia Tech
University of Richmond
Liberty University
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
University of Virginia
Longwood University
Virginia Western Community College
Virginia Commonwealth University
Lynchburg College
Wytheville Community College
Virginia Union University
Patrick Henry Community College
Hampton Roads/Eastern
Valley
Randolph-Macon College
Appalachian College of Pharmacy
Christopher Newport University
Richard Bland College
Blue Ridge Community College
College of William and Mary
Southside Virginia Community College
Bridgewater College
Eastern Shore Community College
Sweet Briar College
Christendom College
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Virginia State University
Dabney S. Lancaster Community College
Hampden-Sydney College
Southwestern Virginia
Eastern Mennonite University
Hampton University
Bluefield College
James Madison University
Norfolk State University
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Lord Fairfax Community College
Old Dominion University
Emory and Henry College
Mary Baldwin College
Paul D Camp Community College
Ferrum College
Shenandoah University
Rappahannock Community College
Hollins University
Southern Virginia University
Regent University
Jefferson College of Health Sciences
Virginia Military Institute
Thomas Nelson Community College
Mountain Empire Community College
Washington and Lee University
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Wesleyan College
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JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
6. Suggestions for new credential programs to meet workforce needs
The regional analyses conducted in Section 5 do not indicate any major gaps in the ability of Virginia’s
colleges and universities to provide programs in the fields where workforce demand is expected to be
highest over the next ten years on a region-by-region basis. The only high-demand occupation for which
a program was not available at a public institution in the same region was that of Heavy and TractorTrailer Truck Drivers in Central Virginia. VirginiaLMI.com reports that Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck
Drivers earned and estimated median annual wage of anywhere from $30,000 to $37,000 in the Central
Region, so offering local access to a training program might give some students an opportunity to boost
their earnings. However, it should also be noted that a cursory search revealed a number of private
institutions in Central Virginia that offer this training, so introducing a program at a community college
might not be necessary in this case.
The analyses conducted in the Gap Analysis Memo, and in Section 5 above, do reveal several areas
where expanding existing programs, or adding new ones, might help Virginia’s institutions better meet
current and projected workforce demands. The analysis conducted in the Gap Analysis Memo revealed
that projected annual openings in the area of Computer Technologies exceeded the current production
of degrees and certificates by more than 3,100 annually. Within this program area, the largest gaps
were found at the levels of: one to two year certificates (922 openings annually), bachelor’s degrees
(1,350 openings annually), and master’s degrees (1,204 openings annually). The review of degree
inventories conducted as part of the analysis in Section 4 indicates that programs in the Computer
Technologies program area are available in all regions of the state.
This, however, is not to say that there are not opportunities to take further advantage of the booming
growth of the information technology sector in Virginia with innovative new academic programs. One
suggestion is the program field of Biometrics. Biometrics focuses on the skills needed to build
automated identification devices. Currently, there are only two programs in the country offering
bachelors degrees in Biometrics, one of which is located at West Virginia University
(http://www.lcsee.statler.wvu.edu/ugrad/degree-info.php?degree=bsbs). This is a quickly growing field
and is closely related to cyber security, a field in which Virginia institutions, including George Mason
University, are already active. Adding a Biometrics program would integrate well with a strategy to
establish a Research Center and Talent Hub around Cyber Security in Northern Virginia.
Additional information about programs currently being considered for introduction by institutions is also
available in a separate memo describing the results of a survey of institutions about their plans, which
was conducted as part of the strategic planning process.
Endnotes
i
Jobs for the Future (JFF), Postsecondary Policy Network for Completion by Design and Achieving the Dream.
“Preventing Loss, Creating Momentum” Framework.” Structured Pathways and Completion Policy Self-Assessment
Tool Aligned With the Completion by Design. (2012).
http://www.jff.org/sites/default/files/publications/materials/PSPN_SelfAssessmentTool_101713b.pdf
34 of 35
JBL Associates, Inc.
SCHEV Statewide Strategic Plan
Gap Analysis Memo Addendum
ii
Carlson, Andy and Katie Zaback. “Moving the Needle: How Financial Aid Policies Can Help States Meet Student
Completion Goals.” SHEEO. http://www.sheeo.org/news/moving-needle-how-financial-aid-policies-can-helpstates-meet-student-completion-goals
iii
The Kresge Foundation with JFF. “Joining Forces: How Student Success Centers are Accelerating Statewide
Community College Improvement Efforts.” (2013). http://www.jff.org/publications/joining-forces-how-studentssuccess-centers-are-accelerating-statewide-community
iv
Community College Research Center. “Evaluating Your College’s Readiness for Technology Adoption.” (2014).
Teachers College, Columbia University. http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/publications/evaluating-your-collegesreadiness-for-technology-adoption.html
v
The National Center for Academic Transformation. http://www.thencat.org/index.html
vi
“The Trouble with Online College.” NY Times. (February 18, 2013.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/opinion/the-trouble-with-online-college.html
vii
Selingo, Jeffrey. “Colleges Can Still Save Themselves, Here's How.” Chronicle of Higher Education. (December 2,
2013.) http://chronicle.com/article/Colleges-Can-Still-Save/143305/
viii
“101 Smart Revenue Generators and Money-saving Ideas, Readers share their successful strategies to start
earning--and avoid burning—money.” University Business Staff. (December, 2006.)
ix
http://campustechnology.com /articles/2014/07/10/better-together-small-schools-find-common-ground-for-itprojects.aspx?admgarea=topic.administration
x
Kuh, George D., Natasha Jankowski, Stanley O. Ikenberry, and Jillian Kinzie, “Knowing What Students Know and
Can Do: Current State of Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment in U.S. Colleges and Universities.” National
Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment. (January, 2014.)
xi
http://www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/
xii
Massy, William F. “Metrics for Efficiency and Effectiveness in Higher Education: Completing the Completion
Agenda.” SHEEO and the Lumina Foundation.
http://archive.sheeo.org/annualmeeting/Metrics%20for%20Efficiency%20and%20Effectiveness%20in%20Higher%
20Education.pdf
xiii
Tennessee Board of Regents. “Office of Academic Affairs.” (2014.)
http://www.tbr.edu/offices/academicaffairs.aspx?id=3178
xiv
Tennessee Higher Education Commission. “Academic Affairs.” (2014.)
http://www.state.tn.us/thec/Divisions/AcademicAffairs/aa_main.html
xv
The Lumina Foundation. “The Degree Qualification Profile.” (January, 2011).
http://www.luminafoundation.org/publications/The_Degree_Qualifications_Profile.pdf
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